Sleigh attachment.



PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

W. A. BERTRAM.

SLBIGH ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT l.

wbtweooco No. 871,907. PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

W. A. BEETRAM. SLBIGH ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNBlO, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

-wucntoz attorney WILLIAM A. BERTRAM, OF BRIMLEY, MICHIGAN.

SLEIGI-I ATTACHMENT.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1907.

Application tiled June 1011907. Serial No. 378,213,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VlLLLiM A. BER'IRA'M, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Brimley, in the county of Chippewa and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. SleighAttachments; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such. as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to attachments for sleighs.

The object of the invention is to provide an attachment adapted to beapplied to the runners of a sleigh to prevent the same from upsettingwhen being turned in. deep snow.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby theattacluncnt may be readily moved to an operative or inoperative positionby the occupant of the sleigh.

With these objects in view, the invention consists of certain novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a sleighshowing the attachment applied thereto, and in operative position, theparts of the sleigh being broken away to illustrate the operatingmechanism Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same, showing the attachment inoperative position; Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the attachment infolded or inoperative position; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of asleigh, showing the arrangement of the operating mechanism for theattachment; and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of one of thesupplemental runners and the operating rods connected therewith.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the sleigh, whichmay be of any style or construction and is here shown as a cutter. Theattachment consists of a pair of supplemental runners, 2, which are inthe form of flat boards of suitable width, and are hingedly connectedalong their inner edges to the braces or supporting bars, 3, of thesleigh runners, 4. The forward ends of the supplemental runner bars arehingcdly connected to an angular extension plate, 5, the forward end ofwhich is reduced to form a bearing bolt, 6, which is pivotally engagedwith a bracket 7, secured to the forward upwardly turned portion of therunner 4 on each side of the sleigh.

The extension plates 5 on the end of the supplemental runner boards aredisposed in an inclined position at the forward ends of the runnerboards when the latter are in an operative position and providedeflecting plates, by means of which the runner boards 2 are directedover the surface of the snow instead of plowing through the same. The

plates 5 also serve to provide a support for the forward ends of therunner boards when the latter are in an operative or inoperativeposition.

in order that the supplemental runner boards 2 may be readily turned toan opcralive or inoperative position, .1 pro vide a suitable operatingmechanism comprising a pair of longitudinally disposed crank shafts S,which are journaled in bearing brackets 9 secured to the underside ofthe sleigh body. The shafts 8 are provided on their opposite ends withright-angularly bent crank arms 10, the outer ends of which areconnected by link rods 12 to eyes, 13, secured to the upper sides of thermmer boards, 2, as shown.

To the crank arms 10 at the forward end of the shafts S are connectedoperating links 14, the opposite ends of which are connected to theopposite ends of an operating lever 15, which is fixedly mounted on thelower end of a shaft 16, which is journaled in suitable bearingsarranged in the bottom of the sleigh, as shown.

The upper end of the shaft 16 projects through the bottom of the sleigh,and to said. upper end is secured a crank, 17, which is adapted to beengaged by the foot of the occupant of the sleigh so that when pushed inone direction will turn the shaft 16 and lever 15, causing the same todraw inwardly upon the operating links 1 1, which in turn rock the crankshafts 8 and cause the same to lower the runner boards 2 to an operativeposition, in which they stand out laterally from the braces 3 insubstantially horizontal positions just above the sleigh runners.

The operating links 1 1 which are connected to the forward cranks of theshafts 8 are adapted to be adjustably connected at their inner ends tothe opposite ends of the lever 15, in a series of holes, 18, To theouter ends of the lever 15 are also connected spiral retracting springs19, the opposite ends of which are secured to the underside of thesleigh body. When the lever 15 is operated by the crank 17, the same ismoved against the tension of the springs 19 so that when said crank isreleased, the springs will reverse the movement of the operating partsand draw the runner boards inwardly and upwardly to a folded orinoperative posi tion against the sides of the sleigh runner base, inwhich position the springs will hold said runner boards until the partsare again operated by the crank 17.

hen the supplelnental runner boards 2 are in an operative position, thesleigh runners will be prevented from sinking into deep snow or drifts,so that when it becomes necessary to turn the sleigh, as when passinganother vehicle, this may be readily accomplished without danger ofupsetting the sleigh, as is frequently the case when an attempt is madeto turn a sleigh in deep or drifted snow.

From-the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionmay be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined in theappended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. An attachment for sleighs comprising longitudinally disposed hingedlymounted runner boards arranged on opposite sides of the sleighimmediately above the runners thereof, and means for holding said boardsin laterally extended position, whereby the runners are prevented fromsinking into the deep or drifted snow.

2. An attachment for sleighs, comprising longitudinally disposed runnerboards hingedly mounted immediately above the sleigh runners to preventthe latter from sinking into deep or drifted snow, and means to raiseand lower said running boards to operative and inoperative positions.

37 An attachment for sleighs, comprising a pair of longitudinallydisposed runner boards adapted to be hingedly connected to the runnerbraces immediately above said runners, crank shafts mounted in suitablebearings on the underside of the sleigh, link rods connecting said crankshafts with said runner boards, an operating lever, and means to connectthe same with said crank shafts, substantially as described.

4. An attachment for sleighs, comprising a pair of longitudinallydisposed runner boards adapted to be hingedly connected to the runnerbraces immediately above said runners, crank shafts mounted in suitablebearings on the underside of the sleigh, link rods connecting said crankshafts with said runner boards, a spring retracted operating lever,links to adjustably connect the opposite ends of the lever with saidcrank shafts, and means whereby said lever is operated by the foot of anoccupant of the sleigh, substantially as described.

5. An attachment for sleighs comprising longitudinally disposed runnerboards adapted to be longitudinally connected to the sleigh runnerbraces immediately above the sleigh runners, deflecting plates hingedlyconnected to the forward ends of said runner boards, means to pivotallyconnect the forward ends of said deflecting platesto the sleigh runners,a system of shafts, connecting rods and levers arranged on the bottom ofthe sleigh and connected to said runner boards whereby the same areraised and lowered'to inoperative and operative positions, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM A. BERTRAM.

I/Vitnesses:

EDWARD KELLY, RoLLA WASHBURN.

